Why “quarterly” is the wrong plan
Stockton’s chapter requires interceptors “fully pumped out and cleaned once every three months or when the combined FOG and solids accumulation ... equals 25 percent of the design hydraulic depth ... whichever occurs first.” A fryer-heavy restaurant on a 1,000-gallon tank puts 25% of its depth in as grease and solids in six to ten weeks. Quarterly service in that kitchen means operating over the line for a month or more each cycle, which the chapter lists as a prohibited act on its own.
| Kitchen | Typical interceptor | Where 25% usually lands |
|---|---|---|
| Cafe or taqueria, light fryer use | 750 gal | Close to the three-month cap |
| Full-service with fryers | 1,000–1,500 gal | 6–10 weeks |
| Fried chicken, wings, buffet | 1,500–2,000 gal | 4–7 weeks |
| Pizza and bakery | 750–1,000 gal | Near the cap; solids are the risk |
Planning ranges for a scheduled route. The percent-full reading on your first six-line receipt sets the real interval; only written Director authorization can stretch it past three months.
Three prohibitions that catch restaurants
- No dishwasher discharge to any interceptor or trap. The dish machine goes around it. A machine plumbed through the device melts the cap and sends it down the lateral.
- Nothing over 140°F. Same reason. Hot caustic rinse is not maintenance; it is a violation.
- No food grinders in the plumbing system. Ground food is solids, and solids are half of the 25% rule.
The receipt is part of the service
Hauler name, operator signature, full pump-out with gallons, percent-full before service, repairs needed, disposal facility: the six lines the chapter requires, on every visit, into the three-year file. The checklist →
Fryer-heavy kitchen?
Tank size and covers per day. Flat quote, scheduled around service.
Call (209) 292-2953